"Ollie fell sick only minutes after he ate a mushroom in the woods. It is a good bet that the mushroom caused him to be sick." This illustrates a(n) _____.
A) invalid deductive argument
B) weak inductive argument
C) valid deductive argument
D) strong inductive argument

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement illustrates a strong inductive argument because it infers a probable conclusion (the mushroom caused sickness) based on specific evidence (falling sick shortly after eating the mushroom). Inductive reasoning involves making generalizations based on specific instances, and in this case, the temporal proximity of eating the mushroom to falling sick strengthens the argument's inductive force, though it does not guarantee the conclusion with certainty.

"Ollie Fell Sick Only Minutes After He Ate a Mushroom